Terry loom with fell shifting means



1967 D. P. BURGESS ETAL 3,351,096

TERRY LOOM WITH FELL SHIFTING MEANS Filed March 20, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS bou LAs P BURGESS, GsLMER A.W\LL\AMS and JOHN D. HAEKE-Y BY mid/w! I ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1967 D. P. BURGESS ETAL 3,

TERRY LOOM WITH FELL SHIFTING MEANS Filed March 20, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS boUqLAs P BURGESS, GILMER A. -/\L\ 1AMs and JOHN b. HAEKE-Y ATTORNEYS N 1967 I D. P. BURGESS ETAL 3,351,096

TERRY LOOM WITH FELL SHIFTING MEANS Filed March 20, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS DOUGLAS P. BLJEQE-SS Guru-=2 A. \MLUAMs anclJoHN DJMRKEY ATTORNEYS Nov. 7, 1967 o. P. BURGESS ETAL 3,

TERRY LOOM WITH FELL SHIFTING MEANS Filed March 20, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS bouquxs P Buaqc-ss G)LM E12 W1 LUAMS andJoHu HAEKEY WW, 66 4 M g! 2% 47M ATTORNEYS 1967 D. P. BURGESS ETAL 3,351,096

TERRY LOOM WITH FELL SHIFTING MEANS Filed March 20, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet l5 3% amrarrrrm INVENTORS. bouaLAs P. Bmacaess GILMER A.\ -/ILLIAM5 andJoHN b. HARKEY wmMawgwM/M ATTORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,351,096 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 3,351,096 TERRY LOUM WITH FELL SHEFTiNG MEANS Douglas P. Burgess, Woorlleaf, Gilmer A. Williams, Kannapolis, and John D. Harkey, Concord, N.C., assignors to Cannon Mills Company, Kannapolis, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Mar. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 624,365 10 Claims. (Cl. 139-25) ABSTRACT UP THE DISCLOSURE A terry loom in which the cloth take-up roll is oscillated during terry weaving, independently of a means effecting normal take-up motion to the roll, to shift the fell in the forming of loose and fast picks attendant to terry loop formation as a warp shifting member is moved in unison with oscillation of the take-up roll to maintain the ground warps under normal tension, and wherein intervals of oscillation of the take-up roll are pattern controlled to effect weaving of non-terry and terry cloth areas in alternation.

This invention relates to terry looms and more particularly to a terry motion which is particularly adaptable for use with shuttleless looms, although it is equally useful in association with fly shuttle looms.

As is well known, in terry looms, relative movement is effected between the beat-up point of the reed and the fell of the cloth during each terry-loop-forrning cycle so that, during two or more beats or picks of the loom, a corresponding number of loose picks of filling are inserted in the warp shed and beaten up at points spaced rearwardly of the fell. Thereafter, relative movement is effected between the beat-up point of the reed and the cloth so that the beat-up point and the fell become the same, and a fast pick of filling is inserted and beaten up against the fell, thus pushing terry pile yarn up to the fell and forming pile loops therefrom. Such relative movement has been effected by shifting or swinging the reed relative to the lay or lay swords, or by shifting the cloth and warps, and thus the fell of the cloth, forwardly and rearwardly relative to the loom frame; i.e., relative to the beat-up point of the reed.

The shifting of the fell provides for a more open warp shed to accommodate the filling inserting means during beat-up of each fast pick than is the case when the reed is shifted relative to the lay. However, most prior art fell shifting devices for terry looms have included a front lever-mounted roll or rod swingable to and fro adjacent and auxiliary to the cloth take-up roll. Such prior art fell shifting devices have not only been expensive to manufacture, install and maintain, but also have subjected the cloth and warps to suddent violent forces which increase vibration of the loom, distort the cloth, cause undesired variances in pile height and sometimes break the warps.

Other pior art fell shifting devices have been proposed, such as is disclosed in Swiss Patent No. 169,008 dated July 16, 1934, in which the cloth take-up roll was oscillated about its own axis, but to our knowledge, such roll oscillating devices are not entirely satisfactory because, in shifting the fell of the cloth with respect to the beatup point of the reed, the take-up roll was positively driven in the forward direction only; i.e., the application of a rearward pressure on the ground warps was relied upon as the sole means for imparting each rearward rotary motion to the take-up roll. It is apparent that pulling back the cloth in such a manner places the ground warps under excessive tension which overloads the heddles, distorts the cloth, breaks ground warps, and may even prevent the full opening of the warp shed. The stresses to which the warps and cloth are subjected were further aggravated by the fact that the various gears of the main take-up motion always had to rotate forwardly and rearwardly with the take-up roll. Additionally, the type of fell shifting device disclosed in said Swiss patent was not controllable for weaving plain or non-terry areas in alternation with terry areas in the cloth.

The known prior art proposes an apparatus, such as is disclosed in US. Patents Nos. 1,833,046 and 1,833,884 (both dated Nov. 24, 1931), which apparatus repeatedly oscillates a cloth take-up roll on a conventional (nonterry) loom during normal take-up motion of the take-up roll for producing either a decrease or an increase in the concentration of filling in the cloth being woven, but to our knowledge such apparatus has never been used in weaving terry cloth because it simply increases or decreases the take-up of the cloth during successive beats of the loom consonant with normal cloth take-up, instead of completing uninterruptedly each successive stroke in oscillation of the cloth take-up roll in each direction during a single pick of the loom and independently of the normal take-up of the cloth, as is required in weaving terry cloth.

It is an object of this invention to provide a loom terry motion which overcomes the above-described and other deficiencies of the prior art.

Another object is to provide a loom terry motion of the oscillating take-up roll type which is operable to oscillate the take-up roll independently of and during the normal operation of the conventional cloth take-up mechanism, wherein each stroke in oscillation of the take-up roll is positively effected at relatively high speed and occurs during a single pick of the loom, and wherein the dwell of the take-up roll at the end of each forward stroke thereof is greater than the dwell at the end of each rearward stroke thereof during terry weaving.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention comprises a take-up roll rocking device, in the form of a differential or planetary gearing unit cooperating with a main cloth take-up mechanism, and which device includes means for repeatedly and positively oscillating the take-up roll such as to advance the cloth during a single pick of the loom from a normal position forwardly a substantial predetermined distance relative to said beat-up point, then to cause the cloth to dwell for a predetermined interval of at least two beat-up strokes of said reed, then to return the cloth to its normal position during a portion of another single pick of the loom, and then to cause the cloth to dwell in said normal position while the latter pick of the loom is being completed to beat-up a fast pick of filling by said reed during each terry-loop-forming cycle in operation of said device. During each dwell of the takeup roll, the main take-up mechanism imparts normal incremental take-up motion to the take-up roll. A warp shifting member also is operatively connected to the rocking device and moves in engagement with the ground warps in unison with oscillation of the take-up roll to maintain the ground warps and the cloth under substantially constant tension during terry weaving.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a left-hand side elevation of a shuttleless loom as modified according to the instant invention for weaving terry cloth;

FIGURE 2 is a right-hand side elevation of the loom;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a preferred form of planetary gearing unit for oscillating the cloth take-up roll in conjunction with the main take-up mechanism of the loom;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation of the loom looking at the left-hand side of FIGURE 1 with the central por- 9 tion of the loom broken away and omitting the ground warps and terry warps;

FIGURE is a transverse vertical sectional view through the loo-m taken substantially along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of the reed oscillating and filling-inserting means of the loom;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged schematic perspective view taken as though looking forwardly from the left-hand rear portion of the loom, and particularly illustrating the mechanisms for shifting the fell of the cloth being woven relative to the beat-up point of the reed; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 with certain parts omitted for purposes of clarity in illustrating other mechanisms not shown in FIGURE 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the present invention is embodied in the conversion of a shuttleless loom of a type such as is disclosed in United States Patent No. 3,159,186, dated Dec. 1, 1964, for example, for weaving terry cloth thereon. However, it is to be understood that the various mechanisms peculiar to the present invention may be used with other types of shuttleless looms or with fly shuttle looms without departing from the invention. The loom comprises a frame including left-hand and right-hand side frame members 10, 16a (FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5) which rotatably support a ground warp beam 11. As best shown in FIGURE 5, tensioned ground warps W pass upwardly from warp beam 11 in engagement with a leto1'f tension sensing member or whip roll 12 and a gauge bar 13, and then over a ground wrap shifting member or roll 14, all positioned at the rear portion of the loom. Gauge bar 13 and shifting roll 14 are peculiar to the present invention, as will be later described.

From the shifting roll 14, the ground warps pass forwardly in the form of a substantially horizontal sheet of warps and are joined by terry warps T drawn from a terry warp beam thereabove. Terry warps are directed downwardly from beam 20 by means of a terry warp let-off mechanism broadly designated at 21. With the exception of control means to be later described, terry warp let-off mechanism 21 is of well-known construction and includes a pair of terry warp let-off rolls 22, 23 journaled on laterally spaced standards 24, 24a carried by the respective side frame members 10, 10a. A suitable friction brake mechanism 26 is provided adjacent one end of roll 22 for normally maintaining the desired tension in the terry warps T. The other end of terry let-off roll 22 has a ratchet wheel 27 fixed thereon normally engaged by a spring loaded ratchet pawl 39. Pawl 31) is pivotally mounted on a crank 31 which is oscillated throughout operation of the loom by connections with a terry let-off cam 32 (FIGURES 2 and 4).

Cam 32 is fixed on a terry motion drive shaft 33 journaled in side frame member 1011 and driven by the loom crank shaft 34 by sprocket wheels 35, 36 and an interconnecting endless sprocket chain 37 (FIGURE 2). Terry let-off cam 32 engages a follower 40 carried by a pivoted arm 41 to which the lower end of a link 42 is connected. The upper end of link 42 is connected to crank 31. It is thus seen that let-off cam 32 reciprocates terry let-off pawl 30 in timed relation to the operation of the loom.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, it will be observed that the ground and terry warps W, T extend forwardly through the usual heddles or harnesses 45 which may be controlled by a suitable pattern mechanism shown in the form of a dobby 46 in FIGURE 1. The ground and terry warps then pass through an oscillatable reed 47 where they are formed into cloth C which passes over a beam Sil, then approximately half-way around a cloth take-up roll 51, over an idler roll 52, and then downwardly to be wound on a cloth roll 53 resting upon a winding roll 54.

As is conventional, reed 47 is carried by a lay or lay beam 69 mounted on swords er connected, by pitrnan arms 62, to corresponding crank throws 63 of crank shaft 34. The lower ends of swords 61 are fixed on a sword rocker shaft 64.

The loom may be equipped with any suitable fillingor weft-insertin g means shown in FIGURE 6 in the form of a pair of aligned filling picking needles or rapiers 65, 66 which are reciprocated by well known connections with pick cams 67, 68 fixed 'on crank shaft 34. As disclosed in said United States Patent No. 3,159,186, the filling picking needles 65, 66 are reciprocated toward and away from each other through the warp shed between the reed 47 and the fell of the cloth being woven, and one of the filling picking needles draws filling yarn from a stationary supply, not shown, and delivers it to the other of the picking needles adjacent the center of the warp shed, whereupon the other of the needles draws the corresponding filling the remaining distance through the warp shed immediately before the com letion of each forward or beat-up stroke of reed 47.

Generally, the warp sheds of shuttleless looms are relatively narrow, because filling-inserting needles or rapiers are of small cross-sectional area as compared to shuttles. When loose picks of filling are beaten up in terry weaving, the first loose pick of each terry cycle usually is spaced one-fourth inch or more rearwardly of the fell of the cloth. Thus, in terry looms of the swinging reed type, the loose picks further reduce the size of or constrict at least that portion of the warp shed through which the fillinginserting needles pass. With such reduction in the size of the warp shed, the filling inserters might slide against and damage the warps. More importantly the filling inserters might pull previously formed terry loops out of the cloth, and in instances in which relatively long terry loops are desired, such reduction in the size of the shed has resulted in the filling carriers or inserters being pushed backward toward the reed to such extent that the inserters would become misaligned. Thus, the filling yarn would not be transferred from one inserter to the other. By shifting the fell of the cloth as in the present invention, as opposed to swinging the reed relative to the lay, there is no reduction in the size of the shed when the loose picks of filling are beaten up.

Crank shaft 34 may be driven by any suitable main drive means embodied herein in an electric motor 70 (FIGURE 1). Crank shaft 34 rotates one revolution during each pick of the loom and, in weaving three-pick terry cloth, for example, terry motion shaft 33 rotates one revolution to every three revolutions of crank shaft 34.

Although whip roll 14 is shown occupying a lower position than it does on the conventional loom, so as to accommodate gauge bar 13 and warp shifting roll 14 thereabove, its function has not been changed; i.e., its position against the ground warps W controls the amplitude of motion imparted to the ground warp beam 11 by a conventional positive ground warp let-off mechanism 71 during each oscillation of reed 47 in a conventional manner, through the arcuate lever 72 and connecting arm 73, so as to drive warp beam 11 and maintain ground warps W under desired normal tension during operation of the loom. Since there are various forms of positive ground warp let-off mechanisms known in the art which may be used with the loom illustrated in the accompanying drawings, a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The present invention includes novel means for operating the cloth take-up roll 51 and the ground warp shifting roll 14 so as to shift the cloth C and the ground warps W and thereby shift the fell of the cloth forwardly and rearwardly relative to the beat-up point of the reed 47 under the control of the terry cam and the pattern mechanism 46, and wherein each such shifting motion of the fell of the cloth occurs during a single pick or beat of the loom. The cloth take-up roll operating means will now be described.

As best shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 7, an improved take-up roll rocking device, broadly designated at $0, oscillates take-up roll 51 in conjunction with, but independently of, a conventional main cloth take-up means which imparts normal increments of take-up motion to roll 51 through an angular distance corresponding to a pick in warpwise length of the cloth during each oscillation of reed 47. The main cloth take-up means comprises a ratchet mechanism broadly designated at 81 and including a ratchet wheel 82 engaged by a pawl 83 biased against ratchet wheel 82 and carried by a pawl carrier arm 84 pivotally mounted on the shaft 82a on which ratchet Wheel 82 is secured. Pawl carrier arm 8-1 is connected to a crank arm '85 therebelow by means of a link as. Crank arm 85 is fixed on and oscillated by rocker shaft 64 so as to impart a normal increment of take-up motion to roll 51 during each forward stroke of reed 47.

A gear train 90, which includes suitable pick change gears, connects shaft 82a to a driven rotary member or cloth roll gear 93 mounted on the shaft 51a of cloth takeup roll 51. Conventionally, cloth roll gear 93 is fixed on shaft 51a, but in the present instance, cloth roll gear 93 is rotatably mounted on shaft 51a for purposes to be later described.

Sprocket wheels 94, 95 and an interconnecting endless sprocket chain 96 may be provided for transmitting rotation from cloth take-up roll shaft 51a to winding roll 54.

Take-up roll rocking device 80 comprises a planetary gear system shown in the form of a differential gear unit comprising first and second or outer and inner sun bevel gears 101, 102, both of which are loosely mounted; i.e., rotatably mounted, on take-up roll shaft 51a (FIG- URES 3 and 7). Outer sun gear 101 serves as an oscillatable member for positively oscillating or rocking takeup roll 51 without transmitting rotary motion to inner sun gear 102. Gear 102 serves as a rotary member for rotating take-up roll 51 in effecting normal take-up of the cloth without transmitting rotary motion to outer sun gear 101. Cloth roll gear 93 is fixed to or formed integral with the hub of second sun bevel gear 102.

A pair of diametrically opposed planetary bevel gears 103, which are of substantially lesser diameter than sun gears 101, 102, is disposed between and positioned in intermeshing relation with both sun gears 101, 102. Planetary gears 103 are journaled on opposite ends of a block 104 keyed or otherwise secured on shaft 51a. A crank arm 106 is connected to and extends rearwardly from the hub of first sun gear 101, and has a plurality of holes 107 therethrough, in any one of which the pivot at the upper end of a link 110 may be positioned, depending upon the amplitude of motion to be transmitted to first sun gear 101.

The lower end of link 110 is adjustably pivotally connected to an arm 111 of a bell crank 112 whose elongate tubular body is suitably supported for oscillation about its axis on side frame member as best shown in the righthand lower portion of FIGURE 1. Another arm 113 of hell crank 112 has the front end of a link 114 pivotally connected thereto (FIGURES 1 and 7) whose rear end is pivotally connected to a crank 115 fixed on one end of a terry rocker shaft 116. Shaft 116 is suitably journaled on the loom girt 117 in the central portion of the loom between side frame members 10, 10a. The other end of terry rocker shaft 116 has a follower arm 120 fixed thereon whose follower 121 is urged into engagement with the peripheral surface of a substantially heart-shaped terry cam 122, by any suitable means, such as a tension spring 123. Terry cam 122 is fixed on terry motion shaft 33.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 7, the lower end of tension spring 123 is connected to arm 111 of hell crank 112, and the upper end of tension spring 123 is connected to a fixed part of side frame member 10 (FIGURE 1). From the foregoing description, it is apparent that, as long as follower 121 (FIGURE 7) remains in engagement with terry cam 122, a complete oscillation is imparted to first planetary gear 101 during each terry-loopforrning cycle of the loom; i.e., during every three picks of the loom in this instance.

It is thus seen that first driving connection means is provided from the main drive means 70 to the main cloth take-up means, including ratchet mechanism 251, and that second driving connection means is provided from the main drive means to rocking device and arranged in parallel with respect to the first driving connection means. The first driving connection means may include crank shaft 34, swords 61, rocker shaft 64, crank arm 85, and link 86?. The second driving connection means may include terry cam 122, terry rocker shaft 1116, link 114, bell crank 112 and link 110 (FIGURE 7).

The cooperative action between the main cloth takeup means and take-up roll rocking device 30' will now be described.

During each beat-up stroke of reed 4'7, crank arm moves downwardly in FIGURE 7 to impart a forward rotative step to cloth take-up gear 93 and second sun gear 102 (FIGURES 3 and 7). Assuming, for example, that first sun gear 101 is then stationary, angular motion of second sun gear 102 causes rotation of planetary gears 103 on their own axes relative to sun gear 101, thus imparting a forward step in rotation to block 10 1-, shaft 51a, and cloth take-up roll 51. The latter forward step in angular movement of take-up roll 51 is equal to a pick in the length of cloth C being woven, although it may be substantially less than the angular rnotion being imparted to gears 93, 102, due to the relative small diameter of planetary gears 103 relative to sun gears 101, 102.

In a similar manner, whenever angular motion is imparted to first sun gear 101 in either direction about shaft 51a through the connections with terry cam 122, the first sun gear 101 moves through a considerably greater angular distance than that through which second sun gear 102 is ever moved so that, in effect, second sun gear 102 is stationary with respect to first sun gear 101. Accordingly, upon rotation of first sun gear 101 in either direction, planetary gears 103 rotate on their own axes relative to second sun gear 102, thus imparting high speed rotation to the block 104, shaft 51a, and cloth take-up roll 51 a substantial distance in the same direction in which first sun gear 101 then is rotating, but to a lesser extent than the extent to which the first sun gear 101 is rotating. For example, take-up roll 51 may rotate about one-half the angular distance that either sun gear 1111, 102 is rotated, in each instance.

It is important to note that terry cam 122 and its connections with first sun gear 101 impart positive rotation (angular motion) to roll 51 in both directions, regardles of the tension in the cloth and warps. Also, any angular motion imparted to first sun gear 101 is entirely independent of any angular motion imparted to cloth roll gear 93 and second sun gear 102, so that the extent of angular motion imparted to cloth take-up roll 51 by each sun gear 101, 102 has no effect whatsoever upon that imparted by the other sun gear. This insures that the cloth is taken up the proper amount with each pick or beat of the loom, regardless of the position occupied by the take-up roll 51 as effected by oscillation thereof by terry cam 122.

It also is important to note that terry cam 122 is so formed, located and driven with respect to crank shaft 34 that each high-speed forward rotary movement and each highspeed rearward rotary movement of the cloth take-up roll 51 is effected by rocking device 80 through an angular distance of about three-sixteenths to onequarter inch or more (equal to about seven to ten or more picks of filling) depending upon the desired length of terry loops being formed, and each such high speed movement occurs within the interval that reed 47 is moving rearwardly away from the full beat-up point and forwardly toward the full beat-up point, but not while the reed occupies full forward position. The main take-up motion '7 advances the cloth normally during forward, beat-up, strokes only of reed 47. The extent of the normal increments of advancement of the cloth has no effect upon the amount the cloth is moved by rocking device 81?.

Means for advancing and retracting the ground warps W is embodied in ground warp shifting roll 14 whose operating means will now be described.

In order to shift the ground warps forwardly and rearwardly in unison with corresponding high-speed angular strokes of cloth take-up roll 51 while maintaining the ground warps W under substantially uniform tension, ground warp shifting roll 14 is controlled by terry cam 122 and is so mounted as to move downwardly from a normal raised position relative to gauge bar 13 each time abnormal forward rotational motion is imparted to cloth take-up roll 51 by operation of take-up roll rocking device 80. Also, each time a rearward angular stroke or partial revolution is imparted to cloth take-up roll 15', ground warp shifting roll 14 returns to the normal raised position. Accordingly, opposed end portions of ground warp shifting roll 14 are journaled in the rear ends of respective forwardly and upwardly extending shifting levers 130, 130a (FIGURES 2, 5, 7 and 8) to which the upper ends of respective links 131, 131a are pivotally connected. The upper ends of links 131, 131a may be adjusted along levers 130, 1341a to adjust the range of movement of the ground warps W to correspond with the range of oscillation imparted to take-up roll 51 by rocking device 8%). Links 131, 131a extend downwardly and forwardly at an angle and are pivotally connected to crank 115 and a similar crank 115a, respectively. Crank 115a (FIGURE 8) also is fixed on terry rocker shaft 116. Shifting levers 13f), 1311a are fulcrumed, as at 132, 132a, on the respective side frame members 10, 1011.

Each time the low surface of terry earn 122 moves into engagement with follower 121 during terry weaving, and causes link 110 (FIGURE 7) to move upwardly and impart abnormal forward rotation to cloth take-up roll 51, it can be seen that the forward portions of shifting levers 130, 130a are moved upwardly, thus moving shifting roll 14 downwardly to an abnormally lowered position such as to release the ground warps W to an extent corresponding to the extent to which the cloth C is abnormally advanced by the abnormal forward rotation of cloth take-up roll 51. After at least two loose picks of filling have been inserted through the warp shed and beaten up by reed 47, the high surface of terry cam 122 moves into engagement with follower 121 to impart a rearward stroke to cloth take-up roll 51 to return it substantially to its original position and return the fell of the cloth to its normal position corresponding to the beat-up point of the reed.

It should be noted that the position of terry cam 122 on shaft 33 is such relative to the position of crank throws 63 on crank shaft 34 that a backward stroke is being imparted to reed 47 following the insertion and beat-up of the second loose pick of filling in the corresponding terry cycle as the fell of the cloth is returning to its normal beat-up position. Thereupon the filling picking needles 65, 66 (FIGURE 6) insert a fast pick of filling through the warp shed, and take-up roll 51 and shifting roll 14 occupy their normal positions during the next succeeding beat-up stroke of reed 47 in completing the formation of the corresponding fast pick. Additionally, cam 32 is so positioned on terry motion shaft 33 relative to terry cam 122 as to impart rotation to the terry let-off rolls 22, 23 (FIGURE in unison with the transmission of each abnormal forward stroke of cloth take-up roll 51. However, while the cloth and ground warps are returning rearwardly to their normal positions, as effected by a rearward stroke of cloth take-up roll 51 and the return of warp shifting roll 14 to its normal lowered position, the rolls 22, 23 remain stationary so that, upon occurrence of the subsequent fast pick beat-up stroke of reed 47, the now slackened terry warps T are pushed forward by the two loose picks and the corresponding fast pick of filling to form terry loops on the cloth C being woven.

Gauge bar 13 serves to prevent sudden changes in the position of ground warps W relative to whip roll 12 which would occur otherwise with changes in the position of shifting roll 14. Gauge bar 13 also minimizes angular contact of ground warps W with shifting roll 14 so the movement thereof may be accurately reflected in the movement of the ground warps. Bar 13 is fixed on the ends of rods projecting from respective hub members 136 suitably secured to side frame members 10, 16a for angular adjustment about their axes.

The apparatus thus far described forms a transverse row of terry loops in the cloth with every three picks of the loom, although it is apparent that the relative sizes of the sprocket wheels .35, 36 (FIGURES 2 and 7) may be changed to increase the number of picks involved in each terryloop-forming cycle, if desired.

Special control mechanisms are provided operatively connecting terry warp let-off mechanism 21, rocking device 80 and warp shifting roll 14 to the pattern mechanism 46 so as to inactivate the same for predetermined periods of time at predetermined spaced intervals for weaving non-terry or plain-weave transverse borders between adjacent terry loop areas of the cloth C being woven. To this end, a pattern controlled latch means is provided for maintaining terry cam follower 121 out of operative engagement with terry cam 122 during non-terry weaving operation of the loom. Such latch means is shown in FIGURES 1, 7 and 8 in the form of a swinging latch arm whose upper end is pivotally mounted, as at 141, on standard 24 and whose lower end has a latch follower 142 thereon which is inactive when in engagement with the front and substantially horizontal walls of a substantially Z-shaped keeper 143 during terry weaving operation of the loom as shown in FIGURE 7, and which is in an active position when in engagement with the upper surface of a locking cam 144, as shown in FIG- URE 8, during non-terry weaving operation of the loom. Keeper 143 is positioned for substantially vertical oscillation adjacent the forwardmost end of cam 144 which is fixed on shifting lever 130.

As shown, keeper 143 suitably secured to the forward portion of a lever 146 which is also fulcrumed at 132. The upper end of a connecting rod 147 is pivotally connected to a medial portion of lever 146. The lower end of connecting rod 147 is connected to a crank 150 fixed on a transverse shaft 151 suitably journaled between the lower portions of side frame members 10, 10a. The outer portion of shaft 151, outwardly of frame member 10a, has a follower arm 152 fixed thereon which extends upwardly and has a follower 153 adapted to engage a segmental cam 154 fixed on terry motion shaft 33.

Keeper 143 is normally biased upwardly by a suitable spring 155 which also normally urges follower 153 toward engagement with cam 154. However, while latch arm 140 occupies the forward, inactive, position shown in FIG- URE 7, only the highest surface of cam 154 may engage follower 153 and, consequently, latch keeper 143 remains stationary. While keeper 143 is stationary in the latter position, follower 142 is held against the suitably cushioned front wall of keeper 143 by suitable yieldable means shown in the form of a cantilever weight arm whose forward end is fixedly connected to latch arm 145) closely adjacent and below its pivot point 141. The outer or rear portion of weight arm 160 has a suitable weight member 161 adjustably mounted thereon.

The reason why follower 142 is normally urged against the front wall of keeper 143 is to prevent follower 142 and its arm 140 from unintentionally moving rearwardly over the upper surface of cam 144 whenever the forward portion of shifting lever 130 is moved to its lowermost position by engagement of the high surface of terry cam 122 with follower 121 in the manner heretofore described. However, whenever the pattern mechanism 45 calls for a change from terry weaving operation to nonterry weaving operation of the loom, the pattern mechanism imparts motion to a pattern cord or cable 165 (FIGURES 7 and 8) such as to move latch arm 140 rearwardly, in opposition to weight arm 160 and its weight member 161, as the upper surface of the cam 144 moves to its lowermost position slightly below or in alignment with the upper surface of the substantially horizontal medial portion of keeper 143. Thus, follower 142 is moved into engagement with the upper surface of cam 144, thereby latching the shifting lever 136 in downward position to, in turn, latch ground warp shifting roll 14 in its fully raised or normal position. It will be noted that, although terry motion shaft 33 and terry cam 122 then continue rotating, follower 121 is held out of engagement with all but the highest surface of terry motion cam 122, with the result that the cloth take-up roll rocking device 80 remains inactive.

In the meantime, since follower 142 has moved out of engagement with and has thereby released keeper 143, spring 155 causes follower 153 to follow the peripheral surface of segmental cam 154, as shown in FIGURE 8, so that substantially vertical reciprocatory motion is imparted to keeper 143 during non-terry weaving operation of the loom. This arrangement permits nonmal operation of dobby 46 to, in effect, release the 'cord 165 at any time during a one-pick cycle of the loom which release may occur while the depending lower portion L of keeper 143 is positioned (as shown in FIGURE 8) in alignment with the forward end of the upper surface of cam 144.

Thus, weight arm 160 and its weight 161 will not effect unintentional movement of follower 142 of latch arm 140 from above cam 144 onto the horizontal portion of keeper 143 during non-terry weaving operation of the loom and until such time as the pattern cord 165 is released during movement of keeper 143 to its lowest position, as is the case when terry weaving operation of the loom is to be resumed. Even then, it can be appreciated that the movement of latch follower 142 off the upper surface of cam 144 will not occur until the segmental cam 154 returns the horizontal surface portion of keeper 143 to the fully lowered position following the corresponding function of the pattern mechanism 46 in releasing cord 165. This insures that the change from nonterry weaving operation to terry weaving operation of the loom occurs at an instant when the high surface of terry cam 122 is in engagement with the follower 121.

In order to prevent overfeeding of the terry warps T by the terry let-01f mechanism 21 during plain or nonterry weaving operation of the loom, it will be noted that weight arm 160 is connected, by a cable or pliable elemeut 170 (FIGURE 1) to the rear end portion of a pawl releasing lever 1'71 which extends forwardly, then through standard 24; in which it is pivotally mounted, and then again extends rearwardly and has a pliable member 173 thereon connecting the same to pawl 30 of terry wrap let-off mechanism 21. Thus, whenever latch follower 142 is moved rearwardly off the keeper 143 and into latching engagement with the upper surface of the cam 144 associated with the ground warp shifting roll 14, it can be appreciated that pawl 30 is raised out of engagement with ratchet wheel 27 so the terry wraps T are maintained under normal tension substantially corresponding to the tension in the group wraps W throughout plain or nonterry weaving operation of the loom.

It is thus seen that We have provided an improved pattern controlled terry motion in which the take-up roll 51 serves the dual function of taking up the cloth and shifting the fell of the cloth incidental to forming terry loops without subjecting the cloth and ground wraps to excessive and sudden stresses which might damage the same, and wherein the various mechanisms of the terry motion are of durable construction and so arranged that 10 they may be applied to various types of looms with a minimum of modification being required therein.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a terry loom for weaving terry cloth from ground warps, terry warps and filling yarns, said loom having a main drive means, an oscillatable reed, a cloth take-up roll, a main cloth take-up means for imparting successive normal increments of take-up motion to said roll during operation of the loom, and means for shifting the ground warps forwardly and rearwardly relative to the beat-up point of the reed in the weaving of terry loops in the cloth; the improvement comprising a take-up roll rocking device operable in conjunction with said main take-up means and including means for positively rotating said take-up roll forwardly and rearwardly in repeated alternation relative to said main take-up means and in timed relation with said ground warp shifting means to shift the fell of the cloth forwardly and rearwardly relative to the beat-up point during terry weavmg.

2. A structure according to claim 1, in which said loom includes a main drive means, and first connection means operatively connecting the main cloth take-up means to said main drive means, and wherein the improvement further comprises second connection means operatively connecting said roll rocking device to said main drive means independently of said first connection means such that said roll rocking device is operable independently of said main take-11p means.

3. In a loom for weaving terry cloth from ground warps, terry warps and filiing yarns, said loom having an oscillatable reed, a cloth take-up roll, and a main cloth take-up means for imparting successive normal increments of take-up motion to said roll during operation of the loom; the combination therewith of a terry motion for shifting the tell of the cloth relative to the beat-up point of the reed in the weaving of terry loops in the cloth, said terry motion comprising a normally active take-up roll rocking device operable independently of but in conjunction with said main take-up means and including means for alternately, repeatedly and positively rotating said take-up roll in forward and rearward strokes of substantialy equal angular distance, wherein each of said strokes is substantially greater than said normal increments of take-up motion and occurs during the interval between two corresponding immediately successive full beat-up strokes of the reed, and wherein at least two beatup strokes of the reed occur following each forward stroke of said take-up roll and before the next occurring rearward stroke of said take-up roll, and means operatively connected to said rocking device for advancing and retracting said ground warps during said forward and rearward strokes, respectively, of said take-up roll while maintaining said ground warps under substantially uniform tension.

4. A structure according to claim 3, including a pattern mechanism, means operatively connecting said pattern mechanisms to said rocking device and being operable to inactivate said rocking device for predetermined periods of time in which said take-up roll occupies rearward position and at predetermined spaced intervals for weaving non-terry cloth areas between adjacent terry loop cloth areas.

5. A structure according to claim 3, wherein said loom includes a main drive connected to said reed for oscillating the same, first driving connection means from the main drive to said main cloth take-up means for driving the same, said means for alternately, repeatedly and positively rotating said take-up roll in forward and rearward Ill strokes including second driving connection means from the main drive to said take-up roll and arranged in parallel with respect to said first driving connection means.

6. A structure according to claim 3, in which said main cloth take-up means includes a driven rotary member connected to said take-up roll for imparting said normal increments of take-up motion thereto, said means for positively rotating said take-up roll in forward and rearward strokes including an oscillatable member connected to said take-up roll for imparting said forward .and rearward strokes thereto, a driven terry cam for rocking said oscillatable member, and means operatively associated with said rotary member and said oscillatable member to prevent transmission of rotary motion from either of said members to the other of said members.

7. A structure according to claim 6, in which said rotary member and said oscillatable member comprise respective sun gears, said means operatively associated with said rotary and oscillatable members comprises at least one planetary gear meshing with both sun gears, and wherein said members are connected to said takeup roll by means of a block fixed for rotation with said take-up roll and rotatably supporting said planetary gear thereon.

8. A structure according to claim 3, wherein said take-up roll has a shaft in fixed axial relation thereto, said means for alternately and positively rotating said take-up roll in forward and rearward strokes comprising a differential gear unit including first and second sun gears loosely mounted on said shaft, a block positioned between said gears and fixed to said shaft, at least one planetary gear disposed between and meshing with both sun gears and being rotatably supported by said block, said main take-up means including means for imparting an increment of take-up motion to said second sun gear during each oscillation of said reed, a rotary terry cam, means for rotating said cam a partial revolution during each oscillation of said reed, and means normally connecting said cam to said first sun gear for oscillating the same to impart said forward and rearward strokes to said take-up roll whereby said planetary gear serves to 12 prevent transmission of rotary motion from either of said sun gears to the other of said sun gears.

9. A structure according to claim 8, including pattern controlled means for interrupting the means connecting said cam to said first sun gear at predetermined spaced intervals for periods of predetermined duration during weaving operation of the loom.

10. A structure according to claim 3, in which said means for advancing and retracting said ground warps comprises a warp shifting member against which the ground warps pass in tensioned condition from a source to the cloth being woven, and means for shifting said shifting member transversely of the ground warps in unison with said forward and rearward strokes of said takeup roll such as to maintain the ground warps under substantially uniform tension during operation of said rocking device.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 847,608 3/1907 Roper.

953,664 3/1910 Holmes et a1. 1,257,706 2/1918 Hedler. 1,266,267 5/1918 Hohlfeld. 1,595,289 8/1926 Chevrette. 1,737,688 12/1929 Ryon.

1,833,046 11/1931 Burdette. 1,833,884 11/1931 Draper. 1,940,366 12/ 1933 Murphy. 1,963,808 6/1934 Robertson. 2,021,432 11/1935 Santo. 2,951,508 9/1960 Purdy et a1. 3,130,756 4/1964 Moberg 139-25 3,160,177 12/1964 Williams et a1. 3,168,115 2/1965 Rheaume.

FOREIGN PATENTS 169,008 7/1934 Switzerland.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

HENRY JAUDON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A TERRY LOOM FOR WEAVING TERRY CLOTH FROM GROUND WARPS, TERRY WARPS AND FILLING YARNS, SAID LOOM HAVING A MAIN DRIVE MEANS, AN OSCILLATABLE REED, A CLOTH TAKE-UP ROLL, A MAIN CLOTH TAKE-UP MEANS FOR IMPARTING SUCCESSIVE NORMAL INCREMENTS OF TAKE-UP MOTION TO SAID ROLL DURING OPERATION OF THE LOOM, AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE GROUND WARPS FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE BEAT-UP POINT OF THE REED IN THE WEAVING OF TERRY LOOPS IN THE CLOTH; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A TAKE-UP ROLL ROCKING DEVICE OPERABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID MAIN TAKE-UP MEANS AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR POSITIVELY ROTATING SAID TAKE-UP ROLL FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY IN REPEATED ALTERNATION RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN TAKE-UP MEANS AND IN TIMED RELATION WITH SAID GROUND WARP SHIFTING MEANS TO SHIFT THE FELL OF THE CLOTH FORWARDLY AND REARWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE BEAT-UP POINT DURING TERRY WEAVING. 